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,905. Patented Mar. 21., 1893.

MM @W (No Mode1.\ 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. M.' BEIBRMBISTBR. APPARATUS FOB. STARCHING FABRICS.

No. 493,905. Patented Mar. 21,1893.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

JLM. BEIERMEISTER. APPARATUS POR STARGHING FABRICS.

No. 493.905. Patented Mar. 21, 1893.

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v APPARATUS POR STARCHING FABRICS.

Patented Mar. 2l, 1893.

Tirion.

ATENT JOHN M. BEIERMEISTER, OF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK BEIERMEISTER, JR., OF SAME PLAOE.

APPARATUS FOR STARCHING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION `fornciing part of ietters Patent No. 493,905, dated March 21, 1893.

` Application tiled May 26, 1892. Serial No. 434,389. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. BEIERMEISTER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Starching Fabrics, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to such improvements and consists of the novel construction and io combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accom panying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several gnres therein.

Figure i of the drawings is a view in front elevation of my improved starching apparazo tus with the inclosure for the fabric and starch closed or covered. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the right-hand side of the apparatus as seen in Fig. l. Fig. Sis a v iew in elevation of the left-hand side of same with the cover of the inclosure raised to permit the insertion or removal of the fabric. Fig. 4. is a vertical central longitudinal section taken on the broken line, 4-4,in Fig. 1, of a portion of the apparatus, the cover, operating levers and supporting frame not being shown. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the inclosure, taken on the broken line, 5-5, in Fig. 3.

A- is the main supporting frame, and B- the starch basin which together with its cover B-, forms the inclosure for containing the fabric and liquid starch. The basin is provided in its bottom wall with an inlet duct, 132-, leading from a supply-reservoir, not shown. The outer end of the duct is provided With a screwthreaded nipple, B3-, by means of which connection can be inade with the supply-reservoir. The duct is also provided with a check-valve, 134-, controlled by spring, B5-. The inner end of the duct connects with a well, T36-, in the bottom of the basin containing a spring-controlled checkvalve, 137-. The well is extended downwardly through the bottom of the basin to form a cylindrical aperture, B8-, for the pump-piston, B9-, by which the liquid starch can be drawn from the supply reservoir and forced into the basin. The piston is connected by link, i310-, with the treadle, B 12-, pivoted upon the floor at i313-, and provided with a retracting spring, 1314-. The peripheral edges of the basin are provided with a rubber or other yielding packing or seat, 13?-, for the cover, when closed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cover is hinged at O-, upon brackets, O-, bolted to the main frameone on each side, and is connectedby the adJustable link, O2-, with the arm, O3-, of rockshai't, O4. The rock-shaft is provided with a socket-arm, O5-, adapted to receive a detachable hand-lever, O6-, for opening and closing the cover. Y The pivotal connections O7-, of the link and lever are so located relatively to the rock-shaft and pivotal connections, O8-, of the links and cover that the connections, O7-, just pass the vertical plane, produced, which connects the axial lines of the iockshaft and pivotal connections, O8-, when the cover is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby locking the cover in a closed position against any force tending to open the cover unless applied through the rock-shaft as above explained. A tight inclosure is thi is formed which can be charged with the liquid starch to the required pressure by means of the force pump operated by the treadle.. A chamber or receptacle for the fabric is formed in the upper part of the inclosure by covering the mouth of the starch basin with a porous flexible diaphragm,O9-, which may b e a piece of fabric stretched over the yielding seat, i315-, and secured in place by the binding cleats, O10-, which clamp the edges of the diaphragm between the cleats and the edges of the basin, as shown in Figs. 4 and The diaphragm serves to support the fabric over the starch in the starch basin and to prevent the adhering of too much starch to the surface of the fabric to be starched.

To apply starch to the fabric it is only necessary to raise the cover, as shown 1n liig, spread the fabric upon the supporting diaphragm, close the cover and operate the treadle until the inclosure is charged to the required pressure. The air in the pores of the fabric to be starched and contained between the fabric and cover is compressed sufficiently by the internal pressure to permit ICO the starch to be driven through the porous diaphragm and into or through the pores of the fabric to be starched. I am thus able to apply the starch with almost absolute uniformity to every part of the fabric without strain or injury to the fabric, such as is likely to result from the usual methods of rubbing or beating the starch into the fabric. I prefer to give the inner side of the cover which comes in contact with the fabric, a smooth or polished surface, as such a surface prevents the passage through the fabric of more than the requisite amount of starch, and leaves the fabric smooth and free from creases.

The apparatus which I have shown is especially adapted for starching the inserted bosoms of shirts.

The basin with its supporting base is anvilshaped, and the shirt is drawn over the horn, 1316-, with the bosom above the supporting diaphragm and the back below the horn, as indicated in part by dotted lines, in Fig. Il. When the cover is closed those parts of the shirt which project over the edges of the basin are forced into the yielding seats sufficiently to maintain a tight joint between the cover and such projecting portions of the shirt. I prefer to provide means for smoothing and stretching those portions of the shirt which are contained Within the inclosure before the cover is closed, and have shown three separate kinds of clamps for that purpose.

The side clamps, D, D', are rollers pivoted to rotate in the upper ends of the rock-levers, D2-, fixed upon rook-shafts, D3, D4-, one on each side of the machine. These rock-shafts are each provided with an inwardly project- 'ing rock-lever D5-, which levers are connected by links, D6-, with rock-levers, D'7-, fixed upon the rock-shaft, DS-, journaled in the oppositely located side-bars, A-, of the frame. The rock-shaft, D8-, is provided with a rock-lever, D9-, connected by link, D10- With the hand-lever, 1312-, pivoted upon the stud, A2-, projecting from the base-plate, 1X3-, bolted to one of the frame uprights. The roller-clamps are open in the position shown in Fig. l, when the shirt is slipped over the basin-horn, and after the shirt is so placed in approximately the desired position the clamps are closed by means of the handlever, D12-, to grip the shirt between theA clamps and the sides of the basin. The sides of the shirt are then pulled down from below the clamps until vthe bosom is stretched sufficiently-laterally, in which position it is held by the roller clamps. The sleeve of the handlever which incloses the stud, A2-, fits the same closely so that the friction between the sleeve and stud maintains sufficient pressure in such clamps. The front end clamp, F,is a horizontal bar or rod extending transversely of the front end of the basin-horn, and is adapted to press the underlying front end of the shirt up into the groove, F-, on the lower side of the horn to clamp the same. The front end clamp is supported by two upright sliderods, F2, and F3-, movable vertically in slide- Ways in the front end of the top, A4-, of the frame. The slide-rods are connected and supported at their lower ends by the block, F4-, having a pair of ears, F5-, to which is pivoted one end of the link, F6-, the other end of such link being pivoted to the rock-lever, F7-, fixed upon the rock-shaft, F8-, which shaft is supported in bearings in the hangers, F9-, depending from the side-bars, A-. The rock-shaft, F8-, is provided with a rock-lever, F10-, connected by link, F12-, with the handlever, B113-, pivoted upon the stud, A2-. By means of this hand-lever the front end clamp can be moved up and down to engage and disengage with the front part of the underlying portion of the shirt to hold the same in position. The jaw-clamp is located just back of the basin and comprises two toothed jaws, I-I, I'I-, pivoted upon a cross-rod, [cl2-supported by the brackets, C. The jaw, H-, is connected by spring, II3-, with the basin wall. The resilient force of the spring tends to draw the jaw toward the basin. The jaw is also provided with a stop ll4-, adapted to engage with the bolt-head, H5-, and limit the movement of the jaw, inducedbythespring. Thejaw,I-l-,islocated to engage with the other jaw and is provided with a bell-crank arm, HG-,which is connected by link, 117-, with rock-lever T18-, secured tothel rock-shaft, Ifl9-, which has its bearings in the rear uprights of the frame and is provided with a lever-arm, II10-, connected by link, I-I12-, with the hand-lever, 1113-, pivoted upon the stud, A2-. The iiap ot' the shirt slipped over the horn of the basin is placed between the jaws of the clamps, and the handle of lever, 1113-, pushed` backward until the flap is tightly clamped between the jaws. Both jaws then move backward, suficient force being applied to overcome the resistance of the spring and stretch the front and bosom of the shirt, the neck-portion being held by the clamp, F. The jaw-clamps are thus moved from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to that shown in Fig. 4.

The parts are held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of the spring-brake, J-, iixed or pivoted upon the inner side of one of the frame uprights in a position to engage with a f riction-Wheel, J-, fixed upon the rockshaft, Il". The tension of the brake may be adjusted by means of adjusting screw, J2, in bracket, C-, adapted to engage with the spring-end of the brake, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Vhen desired a shoe, J3-, may be interposed between the spring and frictionwheel.

By means of the various clamps and connections shown the operating levers can be located in a convenient position and in close proximity to each other, whereby I am able to easily and quickly prepare a shirt for receiving starch, by my improved apparatus without being creased or wrinkled.

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The fabric comes from my improved apparatus in a condition ready for the ironing machine, as soon as sufficiently dry.

I do not wish to be limited to any specific form of clamp for holding or stretching the fabric to be starched. Small articles such as collars and cuffs, that can be wholly contained within the inclosure, do not require exterior mechanism for holding or stretching them, as they can be sufficiently (smoothed by hand when placed in the starch-basin. The porous diaphragm affords a sufficient support to hold the fabric against the cover when the latter is closed.

I have shown a preferred means for charging the inclosure with liquid starch, but any known mechanism for charginginclosures with liquids may be employed to subject the inclosed liquid starch to pressure.

I am able with my improved apparatus to pump cold jelliied starch from a supply-reservoir into the starch basin and force the same into the fabric to be starched, and I wish to be understood as including by the expression liquid starch any form of starch adapted to be applied to fabric, whether the starch bein a heated, easily-flowing fluid form, or cold and in the form of a jelly.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In an apparatus for starching fabrics, the combination with a closed vessel having an inner smooth surface; of a removable cover; a support within the inclosure for holding the fabric against the smooth surface; and mechanism for charging the inclosure with liquid starch, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for starching fabric, the combination with a starch basin;`and a removable cover having a sm ooth inner surface; of a yielding fabric-support between the peripheral edge of the basin and the cover; and mechanism for charging the basin with liquid starch, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for starching fabric, the combination with a starch basin; of aremovable cover having a smooth inner surface; .a support within the basin for holding the fabric against the cover; and mechanism for charging the basin with liquid starch, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for starching fabric, the combination with a starch basin having a removable cover; of a cover-seat between the peripheral edge of the basin and the cover; a porous, flexible diaphragm across the mouth of the basin with its edges between the cover- 

